Most people are gearing up for Christmas with lots of shopping. The hustle bustle of the crowds makes everyone excited for the biggest holiday of the year. While this is going on all around us, our soldiers are gearing up for the next big battle with the enemy.

Operation Coffee Cup is winding down the year 2011 by sending the last of the boxes to the soldiers for their Christmas. Our fast moving collections of items and packing boxes has been going on for more than a month now. We just pray that the packages reach each soldier in time for them to have something from home to make the Christmas and the New Year not so grim for them. It is exciting to be able to mail these boxes with Christmas stockings and hats and lots of goodies, but it is also a sad time, because we know our soldier, and so many others will not be home for this special time of year.

For those of you that have so much to do around your home, your church and your family, and you do not have a soldier in harm’s way, you just pick up and go on as if it was any other Christmas. I hope this article will make you stop and look around you and thank God that you have this freedom because of our military men and women.

We have been recognizing the great companies, churches and individuals for their donations to OCC and today we do not want to forget Dr. Deborah DiStefano and her staff for their donation of Christmas stockings. Also, this week we picked up a large donation from Academy for Little People in Chickamauga. Lisa Montgomery has been an ongoing supporter of Operation Coffee Cup and her “little” people are so excited to help with the soldiers. Not only did Academy for Little People donate items, they donated the money to mail these boxes.

Thank you to all of our supporters. Merry Christmas!

Roger Sherrill lives in Ringgold. He can be reached by email at tandemjumper@catt.com or by phone at 706-937-3918. You can also become a fan of Operation Coffee Cup on Facebook.